lookie what I made today...

not beer, but beer tools!

about to make myself a mash tub, needed to fabricate a "drain" had some copper pipe laying around so I used that, and I had an unused brass hose barb that magically fit the copper pipe tight enough to grab a few threads and get a snug fit.

I used my vise to crimp the open end shut, and drilled about 2 hundred little holes in it. I started in the middle and drilled a LOT of holes...then got tired of drilling and thought maybe I was over-doing it. if it takes too long to drain, then I can always go back and drill more holes into it.

now I just need to go get some nylon or rubber hose from the kitchen department at the hardware store along with some silicone caulk, drill a hole in the side of the cooler, and I'll be ready for my next all grain batch!

Cool. If that doesn't work out you can always do the mesh hose manifold. Works great and only runs about $5.00.

Can't see why that wouldn't work. But then I've famously said that before.

Good luck, post back with results.

I know it's hard to believe after drilling hundreds of holes... but you def need more. Go at it with fresh hands and a fresh bit tomorrow and make that puppy look like swiss cheese. BTW, the holes can be a bit bigger than that too. Otherwise, looks good.

thanks, I'll go drill some more holes!

although, if this doesn't work or is painfully slow, even with more holes...what's the mesh hose manifold thingy? is there a link? or is it something available at a hardware store that I just haven't noticed? my LHBS had a mesh hose, but they were asking $18 for it, after I pay taxes I'm almost at $20. $5 is pocket change, but $20 is my "weekly allowance"

It is a water line hose covered in SS mesh. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/

Holes in a pipe work fine. I only put holes in the bottom of mine.

ozzy1038 said:

It is a water line hose covered in SS mesh. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/

Click to expand...

ok cool. so any toilet supply line will work! I had seen pictures of that before, but not the write up. wasn't sure where the stainless braid came from, since all the ones i've seen had special ends crimped on the ends, and typically some type of Teflon hose liner in it. didn't realize he just cut the ends off and yanked the rubber out! I thought the braid would tear apart before the hose slipped out.

if this copper doesn't work...then I'll try the hose, but as of now, this was free, and free is always better than going out and buying new parts, even if they are cheap. I have to look around, I might have some thin PVC or nylon water supply hose laying around somewhere that's big enough to fit on the hose barb I stuck in the end. MORE FREE!!

My mileage has varied with the SS Mesh, I plan to replace it next chance I get. The first time I used it it worked fine, the second time the braid stopped up because the grain crushed it too much, the third time it was a very slow draining but not stopped up totally, the third time it was a small grain bill and it worked fine, and the last time it stopped totally up again.

Its a good cheap solution but I think you get what you pay for. Seems to work just fine for other people though. Also I'm using a 5gal igloo cooler so maybe ice chests work better because the grain weight is distributed over a greater surface area.

Stick with just holes facing down to help create suction to drain the entire mashtun. If you have holes on top, when the liquid level drops below them, you introduce air and break siphon. A half inch might not seems like a lot of empty space, but it's a fair amount of wort to leave behind in a cooler that large. Just fill your cooler up to 1/2" and then measure that amount.

oops, yeah, they're right. holes on the bottom only is preferrable. I thought you just had it sitting upside down in the pic.

shafferpilot said:

oops, yeah, they're right. holes on the bottom only is preferrable. I thought you just had it sitting upside down in the pic.

Click to expand...

hmm...ok. I'll give this a few batches to see how it does, the maybe make another one with only holes on one side. I saw the stainless braid one and thought "how could I copy that with stuff I have laying around here?"

and I also figured that I'd have to put the cooler at a slight angle to help get all the last of the wort to drain out.

if the holes were only on the bottom, then I'd have to space it OFF the bottom of the cooler somehow, or the wort won't get to the holes...then, however far I do space it off the bottom, I definitely won't get THAT wort out.

meh, we'll see. I'll try it as-is and go from there! I'll post results of how well it works/doesn't work

knotquiteawake said:

My mileage has varied with the SS Mesh, I plan to replace it next chance I get. The first time I used it it worked fine, the second time the braid stopped up because the grain crushed it too much, the third time it was a very slow draining but not stopped up totally, the third time it was a small grain bill and it worked fine, and the last time it stopped totally up again.

Its a good cheap solution but I think you get what you pay for. Seems to work just fine for other people though. Also I'm using a 5gal igloo cooler so maybe ice chests work better because the grain weight is distributed over a greater surface area.

Click to expand...

I have 10 batches with my hose and have had no issues. It works awesome. Most times I only have to vorlauf 1-2qts before it runs clear.